TC Transcontinental Packaging to Close its Tomah (Wisconsin) Plant in February 2024

Consumer concerns and tightening regulations have intensified the drive for more sustainable and safe packaging. At the same time, improving performance and efficiency are important. To answer the demand Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has introduced a collaborative 360 Service approach to deliver measurable benefits throughout the packaging value chain, from easy recyclability to brand impact, production and supply chain efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and beyond, complementing its premium paperboard offering. The Metsä Board 360 Service approach is based on the extensive paperboard and packaging expertise gained from decades of collaboration with leading global technology providers, research institutes, brand owners, converters, printers, corrugators, and logistics and IT providers. The new Metsä Board 360 Services consist of five entities: • Sustainability Service to ensure the compliance and maximise the sustainability of paperboard packaging. • Packaging Design Service to provide better consumer experiences with less environmental impact. • Technical Service uses Metsä Board’s in-depth technical expertise to help improve converting efficiency and packaging performance. • R&D Service offers extensive testing capabilities and possibilities to explore new opportunities in joint R&D projects. • Supply Chain and Digital Service enables responsive, sustainable and reliable paperboard supply across the globe.

While there is no evidence of virus transfer from cardboard, the easily identifiable touch-safe zones can be applied at scale across a range of industries and applications meaning the anti-viral and anti-bacterial packaging provides an additional layer of protection as consumers and workers throughout the supply chain remain wary. Not surprisingly, the importance of products ‘packaged in hygienic packaging’ among consumers with more than half (57%) saying they wash their hands thoroughly after touching e-commerce packaged products and 30% throw packaging away more quickly. DS Smith’s research, conducted with Ipsos MORI, suggests packaging hygiene will continue to be a priority in years to come. The new patented technology is effective across a range of bacteria and viruses including envelope viruses, of which COVID-19 is a member[1].

BillerudKorsnäs invests in the area of cold chain packaging as it acquires a minority holding in the innovative company Vericool Inc., headquartered in California. The company’s solutions enable sustainable and compostable packaging solutions for unbroken cold chains in the grocery and pharmaceutical market, intended as an alternative to non-sustainable packaging solutions, such as polystyrene (EPS).